The life of St. Patrick and his place in history

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1905. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Iberi, ultimi habitatores mundi, nihil extra evangelicam et apostolicam doctrinam recipientes : nullus hereticus, nullus iudaeus, nullus scismaticus fuit; sed fides catholica, sicut a vobis primum, sanctorum videlicet apostolorum successoribus, tradita est, inconcussa tenetur. In this assertion of the orthodoxy of Ireland, the words which I have italicised might be taken to imply that Ireland received the Catholic faith directly from the Popes. This would be a misinterpretation. The words can only refer generally to the transmission and maintenance of orthodox doctrine at Rome.1 The text of the canon of appeal (Hibernensis, 20, 5, b) is as follows:-- Si quae difficiles '-' questiones in hac insula oriantur, ad sedem apostolicam referantur. It is referred to in the Liber Angueli (356n), where the claim of Armagh to decide a causa ualde difficilis is laid down; but if Armagh does not succeed in settling the question, then ad sedem apostolicam decreuimus esse mittendam [sc. causani. It is further stated: hii sunt qui de hoc decreuerunt id est Auxilius Patricius Secundinus Benignus. If these names are selected from the signatories of a synod at which the canon was passed, the presence of Secundinus, who died 447-8 (see App. B, note p. 292), shows that the synod must have been held before that year. Benignus would have been still a presbyter.8 17. PatricKs Paschal Table [See Dr. B. MacCarthy's Introduction to the Annals of Ulster, vol. iv.J The Paschal table drawn up by Dionysius (based on a cycle of 19 years like the Alexandrine) superseded the Paschal canon of Victorius of Aquitaine about 525 A.d. in the Roman Church. The canon of Victorius (based on a cycle of 532 years) had been introduced in 457 A.d. and continued to be used in Gaul to the end of the eighth cent...